What the Police Force are looking for during the recruitment process, the level of

attainment required, and the fierce competition for places all need to be clearly

understood and tackled..

A pilot project which ran in conjunction with Strathclyde Police looked at ways of helping candidates pass the entrance test known as the SET or Standard Entrance Test. One thing found was that there were no suitable preparation materials available in the marketplace for anyone wanting to prep. There was any amount for the English police system, but nothing for Scotland which has a completely different style of exam.

Written by an experienced teacher, the workbooks for the Scottish Police Practice Papers accurately reflect the bank of police entrance exams. An introductory section contains up-to-the-minute, relevant information for potential recruits (gleaned from close collaboration with the recruitment team), written in a clear, concise and to the point style.

'I was working as a tutor on a pilot project funded by the Scottish government aimed at improving skills for adults. The Strathclyde Police recruitment team were interested in looking at ways of helping candidates pass the entrance test which is the same for all the eight police forces in Scotland. While there is no shortage of people applying, the number of candidates failing the test was causing concern: 30% of graduates, 40% in general and 63% of ethnic minorities. The test was effectively 'screening out' the people the police reckoned would make the best police officers and they wanted to do something about it.'

'Working with the recruitment team was a real insight and gave me food for thought. Strathclyde Police recruit all year round and have about 6,000 applicants annually. An average of 60 people will sit the entrance test (known as the SET test) every week at Jackton Police training centre in East Kilbride. Competition is fierce and if someone really wants to get in, they need to understand what the police are looking for during the recruitment process. I wanted to pass on whatever information I could.'

While running the course, a number of really interesting points came out:

for many people joining the police is a life-time goal

the average applicant is in their late twenties, working already and looking for career enhancement

candidates are only allowed three attempts at sitting the SET

there are actually three test papers involved in the SET test: Language, Numbers and Information Handling

candidates must pass all three papers

the pass mark for two papers is 66% and for another 75%

no test or exam paper currently published is comparable in style to the SET test so it is difficult for candidates to prepare adequately

students wanted to work on mock tests and exam preparation techniques

'The pilot course was really successful but, like other funded projects, the work stopped when the funding ran out. I knew by this stage that there was a real need for exam preparation materials for police candidates outwith the project. As a former secondary school teacher, I knew the value of exam preparation and working on mock or practice exam papers, and so I created Police Practice Papers as a result.'

'Sometimes I get people contacting me through the website asking for advice. I love getting feedback from people who tell me they have passed the test because of the papers. I've had lots of candidates, many of them on their last attempt, checking details and asking for advice because the stakes are so high.' (MT Cumming)

"Were the practice papers helpful in any way? Yes, I felt that they helped in a big way. The information at the start of the book gave a great insight into what to expect and, more importantly what to aim for. The practice papers are excellent value for money and are a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to join the Police." Gillian